Odysseus Vs Ithaka

Odysseus’s journey to Ithaka is remarkable because of the goal, but moreso because of the long road that lies ahead of his ship. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus travels home to Ithaka, disguised as a beggar. However, the goal of reaching Ithaka is not the voyage’s climax. The goal is to overcome mental ‘hurdles’, and finish the journey in despite of the monsters, or prayers, that are cast against him. “Ithaka”, written by C.P. Cafavy, holds many points as to why the travel is more important than the goal. With many sights to see and the time Cafavy hopes Odysseus’ takes on the journey, the purpose of the journey is more important than the final destination.
On Odysseus’ journey to Ithaka, he sees many monsters. In Cavafy’s Ithaka, he mentions the “Laistrygonians and Cyclops, angry Poseidon,” and to “not be afraid of them,” (4-5). The beasts serve more of a mental hurdle to Odysseus than a physical one. However, in the epic, the Laistrygonians are a strong physical presence to Odysseus, as they sunk 11 out of 12 ships in the story; Odysseus was the lucky survivor. Cafavy explains that the road to Ithaka should be a lengthy one, telling Odysseus to “Do not hurry the journey at all,” as there are many things to explore along the way (27). There are things to learn along the way, from scholars
Although gods like Zeus wish for a safe trip, gods like Poseidon wish for endless struggle until Ithaka, and the Cyclops wants struggle when Odysseus reaches home. With that, there are also many marvelous visions Odysseus could see, according to Cafavy’s Ithaka, which make the journey too important to forget. On the way, monsters will test him, and Odysseus will have to test his mental toughness for a very long time. However, the goal will be worth it because Odysseus will have the strength and wisdom to surpass any challenge thrown at him